Liar Liar
by star gazing girl
Summary: Caleb likes Cornelia. Cornelia likes Caleb. And Will is okay with that. Or is she? No flames please!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: What makes a liar.

Will gagged. "Ew! What is this stuff?" She asked Hay Lin.

Hay Lin smiled and took a few more bites. "I call it Watercress Wonder." She replied. "What do you think?" She added.

Irma winced and dumped her bowl into the trashcan. "No offense, Hay Lin, but I'd rather eat something less bitter. Like eggrolls." She said.

Tarani nodded. "I agree. This stuff is really bitter."

"Maybe I should have taken it easy on the hot mustard, huh?" Hay Lin asked.

Will dumped her bowl out. "Yeah, that would have helped." She agreed. "Has anyone seen Cornelia?"

Cornelia walked in quickly. "Sorry I'm late! I just had to go shopping and get this new pair of boots. Aren't they the cutest?" She gushed.

Irma looked at them. "Yeah, I guess so. Come on, Hay Lin. Let's go get those eggrolls." She added as she walked out of the room.

Hay Lin smiled awkwardly. "I'd better go...um...get some sodas." She lied, sensing something between Will and Cornelia.

Will watched her go. "Cornelia, you should have called us to tell us where you went. We don't call these meetings for nothing." She said.

Cornelia looked at her. "Will, what's wrong? You sound so upset." She asked.

Will looked away. "Bad day, I guess." She replied.

Caleb walked in suddenly. "Hey, Will. Hey, Cornelia." He added, embracing his girlfriend.

Cornelia smiled as she hugged him back. "Hey yourself." She said happily.

Will looked away from them and blinked rapidly, then composed herself and looked back as the other three irls walked in. "Hey! Let me help you with that." She told Irma, taking the plate of egg rolls.

"What's wrong, Will?" Caleb asked. "You look really upset."

"I had a bad day, that's all." Lied Will.

Irma frowned. "What are you talking about? You had a great day--we had your favorite lunch, you got an A on that test you didn't study for, and everything went just the way you wanted it to."

Will picked up an eggroll. "No." She murmured. "Not everything went the way I wanted it to."

"Like what?" Caleb asked.

Will shrugged. "You wouldn't understand. Excuse me--" She ran out of the room as tears threaten to overflow in her eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: To protect a liar.

Caleb frowned to himself as he left the resteraunt. Normally he would stay there for hours on end, but now he wanted--needed, really--to use the cold night air to clear his head. _'I know she's upset with me.' _He thought, recalling the look on Will's face. '_But should I really sacrifice my happiness for hers? No! I'm not even sure why she's mad at me!' _Caleb kicked a rock and looked up around him for the first time since he began his walk. _'Hm, I'm right near Irma's house. I wonder if she knows why Will's mad at me.' _He thought.

With a deep, weary sigh, he walked over to her yard and threw a small pebble at a window. "Irma!" He shouted to her window. "Irma!"

Soon the curtains parted and Irma's head appeared in the window. She slid it open and leaned as far out as she could. "Caleb! What are you doing? This is my parents' room!" She called.

Caleb frowned. "Can you come down for a minute?" He called back.

Irma looked behind her, then back at him. "Well...okay. Give me a minute to grab my jacket." She said, then shut the window and vanished. Soon Irma herself appeared, in a baggy jacket and pajama pants. "What's up?" She asked.

Caleb sank down on the wet grass. "Why is Will mad at me?" He asked.

Irma shrugged. "I just know she's mad at you." She said, her face clearly showing that she was lying. "But Hay Lin knows. Go ask her." She added, shivering.

Caleb looked at Irma and arched an eyebrow. "Your pocket's moving." He said blankly. "Do you have a mouse in it?"

Irma reached in her pocket. "My pocket is...? Oh. My cell phone." She commented, pulling it out. "Hello?" She added.

Caleb faintly heard Will say, "Hey, Irma. Mind if I vent to you? Everyone else hung up on me."

Irma looked at Caleb, then back at her phone. "If its about what we talk about earlier, then no, not now. I'll have to call you back." She said.

Caleb reached for the phone eagerly. "So you do know why she's mad at me!" He whispered. "Come on, let me hear!"

Will was sighing when Irma hit the speaker phone button. "C'mon, I just need to talk. Please?" She begged.

Irma shot Caleb an annoyed look. "Okay, Will. Vent away. Where are you?" She added.

"The mall. It's closing in a few minutes, though, so I'll have to go elsewhere." Will replied. "Can you believe what he's doing? Doesn't he know by now?" She blurted. "I like him so much and he doesn't care!"

Caleb looked at Irma and mouth the word "Who?".

Irma turned her back to him. "Um, Will, why don't you sleep over here tonight? My dad's trying to listen in." She said.

Will was quiet; you could tell that she was thinking it over. "Okay." Will finally said. "Thanks."

Irma nodded and smiled. "Glad to help you through this! See you in a few." She said, hanging up.

Caleb looked at Irma. "Help her? But I want to help her too!" He objected.

Irma sighed as she walked away. "Trust me, Caleb. The thing you can do to help protect Will now is to not help her."

Caleb looked down at his hands, then suddenly looked up as Irma walked into her house. "She likes me, doesn't she?" He called to the house. No one answered, and Caleb walked out of Irma's yard and down the road, more confused and upset than before.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: To understand a liar.

Will walked in the house and threw her bookbag on the sofa. She hadn't slept well ever since she had started liking Caleb and he started dating Cornelia, and it had been a hectic day at school. Dark bags circled her eyes and she looked awful. Will walked up to her room and grabbed the phone when it rang.

Hay Lin's voice came softly through the phone. "Hey, Will. I heard about you and Matt." She said sympathetically.

Will toyed with a pen on the table. "Hey, if it wasn't meant to be then it wasn't meant to be." She replied. _'Even if I did blurt out Caleb's name instead of his.' _She thought ruefully.

Hay Lin was clearly trying to read Will's tone. "Yeah. I'm sure Mr. Right will come soon enough, you know?" She said.

Will leaned against the wall. _'Oh, he has. He just likes Cornelia better than me, that's all.'_ She thought. But her mouth said, "Yeah, you're right."

"You want to go for a pizza or something?" Hay Lin asked brightly.

Will smiled. "Sure, I'll meet you at the pizza place." She agreed. Hay Lin said goodbye and hung up. Will picked up the pen, wrote a note for her parents, and rushed out of the house.

Unknown to her, a figure waited in the bushes until she left. He looked at his smaller sidekick and signaled for him to stay quiet, then whispered, "You be the lookout. Warn me if anyone tries to go into the house and distract them so I can leave."

The smaller figure nodded, and the taller figure ran into her house, then pulled off his ski mask. _Darn it! Where's Will's room?_ Caleb thought as he tiptoed down the hall. He climbed the stairs slowly, trying not to make any noise,

and opened the first door on his left. A bathroom. He walked on. After discovering a guest room, linen closet and her parents' room, Caleb slid the door open to Will's room.

He wasn't quite sure what he was looking for, or even why he had decided to break into her house, but somehow Caleb felt that this was necessary. He opened the nightstand drawer and pulled out a small, pink book entitled _My Diary_. Slowly he opened it at random and read the first few pages.

_Dear Diary, _

_Today I saw Caleb again! I wish he knew I was alive. Well, he does know, but not romantically. Anyway, Matt and I are finally together, but we keep fighting for no real reason. I have a feeling we'll break up soon, and maybe then Caleb and I can talk..._

Caleb turned the page and read the next entry. It was clearly the most recent, written hastily, and he sank down to her bed as he read the few words.

_Dear Diary, _

_Matt and I did break up today. I called him Caleb instead of Matt. Of course he made a big scene...I just hope Corny didn't see or hear because she might tell Caleb and that's the last thing I need right now. _

Caleb slammed the book shut, threw it back into the drawer, and rested his head in his hands.

_'Great. She broke up with Matt because she still likes me! Flattering as that is, shouldn't I be trying to make her get back with him?'_ Caleb thought. _'Will is sweet and kind, but is she really what I want?'_ He thought.

A car door slamming brought him back to reality. Will and her parents were home.

Panicking, Caleb shoved Will's window opened, climbed into the tree outside her window, and slid down the trunk. Fleeing in panic hadn't been what Caleb had wanted to do; rather he had wanted to sit somewhere quiet to think about how he really felt. And now he was even more confused than before. pICTURES OF wILL AND Cornelia danced in his head as he ran down the road.

MEANWHILE...

"It looks like we've been robbed!" Will's mother cried in shock as she saw the house in mild disarray.

"This is just shameful." Grumbled Will's father. "Will, go check and see if your cell phone or t.v. is gone."

Will walked up to her room and looked around, frowning when she saw that for the most part her room was spotless.

Then she saw it. Caleb's jacket lay on her bed. Will picked it up, and called to her mother,"I have to go to Hay Lin's for a second!" She walked out of the house, eyes narrowed in anger, as she clutched Caleb's jacket too tightly in a fist.


	4. Chapter 4

_Hey, Everyone! Thanks to everyone for reviewing! Oh and I didn't know Will lived with just her mom, so I'll try to fix that! Thanks,Jodylicious, lalala5812 and Erin Elric for telling me!_

Chapter 4: To be forgiven by a liar.

Caleb felt his heart sink when Will stomped into the resteraunt. He tried a feeble grin. "Hey, Will!" He called.

Will stomped over to him and narrowed her eyes at him. "Hey, Cornelia, can Caleb and I have a moment alone, please?" She said in an alarmingly cold voice.

Cornelia looked from Caleb to Will. _'Wow, Will looks so angry! I've never seen her like this before. Maybe its where she and Matt just broke up?'_ She thought. Then her eyes fell on Will's clinched fist. _'Is that Caleb's jacket?'_ She wondered. Slowly Cornelia stood. "Uh, sure." She said uncertainly. "Caleb, call me when you get done...I'm going home now."

Cornelia walked out of the resteraunt, leaned against the building, and found her cell phone. Quickly dialing Tarani's number, she lifted the phone to her ear. "Tarani? This is Cornelia. Will and Caleb are about to fight or something! Where? Yeah, they're at the resteraunt. Hurry up or you'll miss it." She said. Then she hung up to call Irma.

Inside, Will was trying to get her mind in order. "You did it, didn't you?" She demanded.

Caleb looked up at Will, feeling oddly like a scolded child. "Did what?" He asked.

Will threw the jacket at him. "You broke into my house, you slimeball! You're no better than Phobos!" She shouted. The whole resteraunt fell silent.

Caleb stood up, gripped Will's elbow, and steered her into the kitchen. Will folded her arms across her chest trying to ignore the tingling sensation her arm got when Caleb touched her. Caleb lead Will into the basement. "What?" He said slowly. "What did you just call me?"

Will blinked a few times. "I'm...not sure...um...what did it sound like?" She asked. _'Come on, Will! Quit acting like an idiot and let him have it!'_ She chidded herself, but her mouth remained firmly cemented shut.

Caleb narrowed his eyes at her. "It sounded to me like you made a reference to Phobos."

Will sat down on his bed. "Did I?" She asked.

Caleb grabbed her shoulder and jerked her up. "You said I was no better than Phobos!" He shouted.

Will tried in vain to pull away. "You broke into my house!" She accused. "You left your jacket on my bed in my room!" She shrieked.

Caleb let go of her and pulled away. "You want a confession in blood, Will? Is that what you want?" He demanded. "Fine, I admit it. I broke into your house. I'm sorry. It was a stupid thing to do, and I'm sorry."

Will looked up at him. "Why did you do it?" She asked.

Caleb looked at Will, then turned away. "I wanted to see what you got me for Christmas." He lied uncertainly.

Will looked at him blankly. "That's all?" She asked.

Caleb shrugged. "Guess so. I am sorry Will." He added as he started to walk away.

Will smiled in spite of her annoyace.. "One problem, Caleb. Christmas is over. It's January." She called. "Why did you really break in?"

Caleb stopped, smiled, and looked at Will. "I'll tell you later, Will." He said softly. "I didn't do it to hurt you."

Will paused, thinking. "I forgive you, Caleb. But come in my room without my permission again, and I'll kill you." She replied.

Caleb looked at Will and smiled, a turmoil of feelings in his heart. _'You're dating Cornelia! You can't look at Will like this!'_ A voice inside shrieked. _'We're friends, and nothing more. For now, anyway. I won't cheat on Cornelia.'_ Another voice said impatiently. "Okay." Caleb agreed.

Will suddenly hugged Caleb, pulled away, and rushed out of the room, face red. Caleb took a deep, tired breath and let it out in a yawn. Blanche walked in and sat down on Caleb's bed.

"Whacha thinkin of?" He asked as he looked in his bag of garbage.

Caleb leaned against a wall again and smiled to himself. "Why rebels shouldn't fall in love. Hey, I told you, don't put that garbage on my bed!" He suddenly shouted as he dived for Blanche and missed. For a moment, Caleb forgot both Cornelia and Will as he chased Blanche, but he knew that this moment of peace wouldn't last long.

Upstairs, Will looked up in surprise at Irma, Hay Lin, Cornelia and Tarani. "Hey, you guys. What's up?" She asked.

Hay Lin smiled innocently, but Irma looked at Cornelia and glared. "You said that--Oh, never mind. Want to go to the mall, Will?" She added.Will and Irma linked arms with Tarani and Hay Lin and walked out laughing, but Cornelia sat down at a table. _'Why did Will have Caleb's jacket?'_ She wondered. _'I think it's time Caleb and I had a talk.'_ She walked down the stairs grimly and shut the door behind her.


	5. Chapter 5

_Hey again! Thanks to iamkagomeiloveinuyasha for correcting my spelling; I owe you one!_

Chapter 5: A Liar's Contempation

Caleb stared at the movie screen, but his mind was a million miles away. _'Great. Now I know Will likes me, she knows I broke into her house, and Cornelia is mad at me.'_ He thought. _'And I'm still not sure if I like Will or not!' _Caleb swallowed another mouthful of popcorn and glanced down at Cornelia beside him. Ever since he had repeatedly attempted to change the subject during their talk, she had been moody and easily annoyed. Now she sat stiffly beside him, eyes narrowed and back rigid.

Caleb put his arm around her. "Enjoying the movie?" He asked.

Cornelia jerked away coldly. "The movie, not the company." She said bluntly and curtly.

Caleb winced to himself as he dropped his hand back into his lap. _'Ouch! That was cold of her._ Caleb thought. _'Maybe she wants out of this relationship? I'll have to ask her later if she does. If she's not still mad at me.'_ He had barely thought that when Cornelia tapped Caleb's shoulder.

"Hey, the movie's over." She said emotionlessly. "Come on." The couple walked out of the theater wordlessly; Caleb bought Cornelia a soda and some cotton candy from a vender in the park.

"Cornelia, I know you're mad at me." He began.

Cornelia rolled her eyes. "That's the understatement of the century." She snapped.

Caleb held up hand. "Let me finish." He ordered. "I know you're mad at me. And I know you don't understand why I won't tell you what Will and I talked about. But Cornelia--it was private! I don't talk about what we discuss alone." He tried.

Cornelia gave a dry laugh. "Caleb, I don't care if Will and Irma and Taranee know what we talk about! But Caleb, I tell you what my friends and I discuss! You should return the favor!" Her voice ended in a loud cry.

"I never ask you to tell me, Cornelia! I never have and I never will!" Caleb shouted.

Cornelia blinked rapidly, her hand over her mouth. "Oh, my gosh." She breathed. "Caleb, don't you see what this has done to us? This relationship is driving us crazy! We never shouted at each other before."

Caleb sighed and flopped onto a bench beside the sidewalk. "So what do you want, Cornelia?" He asked softly, almost weakly. "What do you suggest we do?"

Cornelia sank down beside him. "I...I only know of one thing to do." She whispered. "Caleb, have you ever heard too much of a good thing is a bad thing?"

_'Here it comes.'_ Caleb thought grimly. _'The It's-not-you-its-me line.'_ "Yeah, that is true." He heard his mouth say.

Cornelia wasn't looking at him anymore. "Caleb...we've been through bad things and good things, scary times and peaceful times. But maybe during those times, we grew apart and it took this to make us realize it." She said faintly. "Caleb...I think it's over."

Caleb arched an eyebrow. "You think it's over?" He asked.

Cornelia looked up at the sky. "You know what I mean! It is over. But, you know, maybe we just needed some space! We could still come back and date each other after a while." She offered.

Caleb shook his head slowly. "No. No, I don't think we can. I'm sorry Cornelia, but maybe..." Caleb smiled as he realized he was quoting Will when she broke up with Matt. "Some relationships aren't meant to be."

Cornelia hugged Caleb. "But we can still be friends?" She asked.

Caleb nodded. "Always." He agreed. Caleb found himself walking back to Hay Lin's house, walked into his basement room. He laid full length across his bed and shut his eyes until he heard Hay Lin enter.

"You looked like you could use some cocoa." She explained as she placed a hot cup beside him.

Caleb sipped it. "Yeah, I really could. Cornelia and I broke up tonight." He added.

Hay Lin got a sympathetic look on her face, but her eyes clearly read, _I've got to call Will!_ "I'm sorry." Hay Lin murmured. "Well, I would talk to you about it, but why pour salt in an already painful cut? Bye!" She said, edging towards the door and then dashing up the stairs.

Caleb laughed to himself and rolled over to go to sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: A liar's hope.

Will picked up her phone quickly. "Hello?" She asked.

Hay Lin's eager voice squealed so loudly Will had to pull the phone away from her ear. "Will! You'll never, ever, ever guess in a million years what happened!"

Will leaned against the wall. "What?" She asked.

"Are you setting down?" Hay Lin gushed.

Will glanced at the unvacuumed floor and winced at the thought of sitting on the dusty floor. _'I need to vacuum before Mom gets home.'_ She thought. "Close enough." She replied. "What happened?"

"Cornelia and Caleb broke up!" Hay Lin gushed. "Caleb's taking it pretty well, and I have a feeling it was over you!"

Will felt her heart flutter. _'Over me?Wait, Caleb's single? Oh...my...gosh...I should really ask him to go with me to the dance next week end. Hey, who am I kidding? The guy's probably hurting. I should back off for a while.'_

She thought.

"You there?" Hay Lin asked.

"Barely." Will replied absentmindedly. "Um, can I come over?"

Hay Lin giggled. "Oh, sure. Come on over." She said. "Wait--Will, don--" The line died.

Will left a note for her mother on the t.v., put on her jacket and walked down the road to Hay Lin's house. But when she got there, she saw that all the lights were off but the door was cracked. Picking up a heavy rake for self defense, she edged into the house. "Hay Lin! Where are you?" She shouted.No answer. Will shut the door behind her and edged into the living room. To her alarm, when she opened the door Will saw a path of candles.

_'What the heck?'_ Will wondered. _'This is such a fire hazard. Why so many candles?'_ She walked slowly down the hall to the basement. _'Oh, I see where this is going. To Caleb's room. They must want us to talk.'_ Will decided as she walked down the candle path.

Heart pounded, she edged the door open...and stared at a very cleaned up bed room.

"Hello?" She called. A loud thumping came from the closet. "Hello!" She shouted again. The thumping grew more vigourous, and Will edged the door open. Caleb was sitting in the closet gagged and bound hand and foot. Will knelt beside him to pull off the gag. "Oh, Caleb!" Will cried. "Are you okay? Who did this to you?"

Caleb twisted around until Will undid the gag, which fell lifelessly to his lap. "Trap!" Caleb shouted.

Will looked around. "What?" But as she turned, a large, heavy object bashed into her temple and she fell limply to the floor.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: A liar in a trap.

Will edged her eyes open slowly. There was no light in the room, and a wet, warm substance poured eerily over her forehead. The air was stale and hot. _'Where am I?'_ Will wondered. _'What happened? All I remember was seeing Caleb in that closet, and then I was bashed in the head.'_ Will jumped up in terror.

"Oh my gosh!" She realized aloud. "Caleb!" No answer. "Caleb! Where are you?" A low groan came from the other side of the room. "Caleb!" She cried again. She made her way across the room and felt around until she found Caleb's face.

He grimaced at her touch. "Careful." He grumbled. "I'm really sore."

Will withdrew her hand, then found his hand and held it in her own. "What happened?" She asked.

Caleb sat up and helped guide Will into the bunk. "You were bashed in the head by Cedric, and dragged in here. I, on the other hand, was kept concious and tortured a bit before screaming myself unconcious and being dumped in here." He said.

Will felt hot tears sting her eyes. "What now, then?" She asked.

Caleb blindly felt for her face. Will guided his hand there, and he pulled her head onto his shoulder. "You rest." Caleb told her. "And I keep watch. And then we try to figure out how to escape." Will was sick from her headache and too much moving; she fell asleep soon. When she awoke, she was wrapped up in Caleb's jacket but Caleb himself was gone. A torch burned beside the door; Will looked around and realized she was in a deep, dark dungeon room.

"Caleb?" Will ventured. No answer came, and Will shivered as she got up on peered out the door. To her alarm, she could see Caleb laying chained on a table. Several creatures stood nearby, holding various instruments of torture. Caleb looked over at the door, made a grimace and signaled for her to turn her head.

Will jumped as a creature holding a red hot thing moved towards Caleb, and she cried as Caleb's shout echoed around the room. She lay dejectedly in a corner when Caleb was dumped back in, but she ran to his side and held his hand.

"God that hurt." Caleb whispered, tears still in his eyes.

Will rubbed his hand with hers, trying to warm it. "I know." She choked out. "Caleb, I--"

"No." Caleb snapped. "No goodbyes." He propped himself up on an elbow. "We're getting out of here."

His eyes moved past her,and Will realized she could see Elyon standing at the window, peering in through the door.

"Elyon!" Will called frantically. "Please, listen to me."

Elyon looked around, then closed the window and slid some food and water through a slot. Will used some water to wash out Caleb's wounds, and used a pencil also pushed under the door to map an escape plan while Caleb slept--or lay unconcious.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: A liar's homecoming

Will looked over at Caleb and swallowed. "We're home." She whispered. For almost 3 days they had been missing; Missing posters with Will and Caleb's faces plastered the city. Caleb nodded. He had remained silent ever since they escaped; Will suppected that he was in more pain than he let on. They dropped by the plice office to tell them they were back, and then walked to the resteraunt.

The rest of the guardians sat worriedly at a table, talking in an undertone and looking worried.

Caleb limped up to them and smiled wearily. _'When did he get that limp?'_ Will wondered as she followed him.

"Caleb! You're okay!" Cornelia shouted as she hugged him.

Caleb pulled away and sat down. "Will and I are kind of dating." He explained softly.

Irma shot him a look, then looked at Will. "He looks so bad, Will! What happened?" She hissed.

Will frowned and nervously walked over to Caleb, holding his hand. "He was tortured and then we escaped. Do you think you would look better?" She snapped.

Caleb gave a feeble laugh. "No, Will. I'm not just tortured. They put a type of toxin in my bloodstream--that first day in fact after you looked away. I think it wasn't just a weakening toxin--I think it was a poison." He explained.

Hay Lin's mouth fell open. "Well, do you know the name of it?" She demanded nervously.

Will sank down beside Caleb on the floor, eyes widened. _'It's too late. I couldn't save him.'_ She thought in horror.

_'It's all my fault. I didn't work fast enough.'_

Taranee looked at Will. "Will, your face is dead white. What's wrong?" She asked.

Will looked at Caleb and smiled weakly. "I meant to save you from death." She murmured. "But I failed."

Caleb shook his head with an effort. "No...if it wasn't for you, I'd still be in the dungeon, laying on the bunk and sleeping 20 hours a day." He told her in a soothing voice.

Will looked at Caleb and swallowed. "What was it called?" She asked.

Hay Lin nodded. "I already asked that, Caleb. No lying." She ordered.

Caleb hadn't moved for the past few minutes; Will wondered if he still could move at all.

"It's called Spider's Kiss. Clear, scentless, odorless, tasteless." He said. "No antidote is known. People do survive it...sometimes."

Will looked at Hay Lin's grandmother. "Do you know a cure?" She asked.

The older woman looked miserable. "No. I do know things that will help him, though." She added. "Like keeping him in a warm, humid room, and types of broths...if we're going to move him, we need to do it now." She added.

The guardians dragged Caleb into his room, laying him on a bed.

Will sat down beside Caleb and tried to smile. "Comfier than a wooden bunk?" She asked.

Caleb smiled weakly, reached up to touch Will's cheek...and suddenly went limp.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: A liar's last hope

Cornelia looked at Will, who hadn't moved for, maybe, 3 hours. _'Wow! If Caleb and I hadn't broke up when we did, I'd be the one sitting there and not even moving.At least he isn't dead--yet.'_ She tried to consol herself.

Will, as if reading her mind, looked up. "He's not dead." She said. "He's just...unconcious. Not dead."

Cornelia nodded. "He has to fight this battle alone, Will. No one can hold his hand and tell him what to do."

Will wiped at her many tears. "But I wish I could be with him." Caleb's hand in Will's moved ever so slightly. Will held it tighter and looked at Hay Lin. "Do you think he can hear me?" She asked.

Taranee, behind Hay Lin, forced a weak, tired smile. "Maybe." She agreed.

Hay Lin, whose red eyes showed her grief, rubbed her throat briefly and then looked at Will. "I...think we need to put the cloths on his wrists now. So maybe his temperature will drop." She choaked out.

Will nodded. "Yeah...here, let me." She reached out for the rags and pressed each one on a pressure point--his forehead, his wrists, ankles, and even on his throat. Her eyes moved to Caleb's pale face. "I wonder where he's at? In his dream, I mean." She commented.

Irma sat down beside her. "Ask him. Maybe he can respond somehow." She suggested.

Will shrugged. "I guess it can't hurt to try." She murmured. Gently she sat down beside Caleb and held his hand tightly in her own. "Caleb. Where are you? Are...are you okay?" She murmured. "I wish...I could help you. But I doubt that I can. I wish I could be with you."

Hay Lin looked at the necklace around Will's neck. "Will! The Heart---it's glowing!" She murmured.

Will held up the necklace and stared into it. Suddenly her face went blank, and her eyes looked distant and glazed.

Irma grabbed Will. "Will? Will! Was she poisoned, too?" She asked frantically.

Hay Lin's grandmother walked in suddenly. "No, Will's healthy and strong. But it seems that somehow--she can be with Caleb in this dream. Maybe it's an old gift or something, a secret trapped and unused in the Heart--until now. Make sure she's safe and kept warm. I'll go look up the reasoning behind this." She left hurriedly, and the other 4 guardians helped lay Will down on the sofa.

Cornelia push Will's hai back from her face. "I wonder what she's seeing?" She asked thoughtfully.

_"Where am I?" Will shouted. It was dark; a rather pea-soup like green sky loomed overhead and gray fog drifted around Will's knees. Will walked slowly towards a faint light. "Is anyone there?" She asked._

_Caleb turned around and smiled at Will. "What are you doing here?" He asked._

_Will shrugged. "Search me." She replied. "Caleb, where are we?" _

_"In the Spider's Lair, I think it's called. There's no one else here." He replied calmly. "It seems that this place holds all the secrets of the Spider's kiss toxin. You see, it isn't a deadly poison--it's like a very strong sleeping aide. The people who drink it aren't killed--they're put in a coma-like trance and their body slowly dies. And then they die." He explained softly. "It's very relaxing here, though." _

_Will looked at Caleb, his face still unnaturally pale and calm. "But is there an antidote?" She asked. _

_Caleb smiled. "Yes, of course. It's not a common mixture, though. Spoiled milk, bruised mint leaves, strawberries and a type of plant called a mango. I'm not sure if the person has to drink it or smell it, but it has to be mixed by your Heart thing." He added coolly._

_Will nodded. "Spoiled milk, bruised mint,strawberries and mango." She replied. "Got it. But how do I get out of here?" She added._

_Caleb, who was tending to his small fire, looked up. "How else?" He said softly. "Use the door." He gestured to a heavy wooden door. Will ran over and pushed it open slowly._

Will sat up and gasped. "You guys! Caleb is still alive--and we need to go shopping!" She rasped.

Taranee frowned. "How do we know if we can trust this vision type thing?" She asked.

Will looked at them sadly. "It's my last hope. Cornelia, you go get some spoiled milk. Hay Lin, you find some mint leaves and bruise them; um, Irma, please find some strawberries and Taranee needs to find some mango." She ordered.

The group was back almost before it left, bearing their items. Will didn't ask them where they found these things so fast but mixed them up in a bowl with her necklace. The 5 girls poured some down Caleb's throat, rubbed it into his skin, and even nearly poured it up his nose.

Caleb sat up slowly. "What's going on?" He asked.

Will beamed. "I'd hug you, but you need a bath." She called. All the girls were pinching their noses shut.

Caleb sniffed the air, then grinned. "Group hug!" He shouted, charging them. Only Will was able to hug him back.


	10. Chapter 10

_Thanks for the nice reviews everyone: )_

Chapter 10: A liar's happiness.

Will looked at Caleb and smiled as he winked at her. "What was it like in the Spider's Lair?" Will asked him with interest. "Before I went there, I mean."

Caleb shrugged. "Very relaxing, really. But I think I walked away with some information that I wasn't supposed to see."

Taranee looked up from her plate of food. "You mean the cure, right?" She asked.

Caleb shook his head. "Not exactly, no. But I think we'll all see that information in time." He commented.

Irma looked at Caleb. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean I found out some future events that won't occur for maybe 9 years." Caleb replied. He looked at the plate of food and poked it with his fork. "What's this?" He asked Hay Lin.

The girl blushed. "I redid the Watercress Wonder. I wanted to see what you guys thought." Hay Lin explained.

Will smiled thoughtfully. "Hm. This reminds me of something." She remarked softly.

Taranee toyed with her fork. "Does anyone know where Cornelia is?" She asked.

Irma glanced up. "She had to go pick up her dress for the dance next weekend." She replied. "Well, let's dig in, everyone. And if we die..see you all in Heaven!"

The group snickered and began to eat their forkfuls of food.

Will gagged and reached for her water. "Hay Lin! What did you put in this?" She rasped.

Hay Lin was the only one not eating. "Well, it seemed like a shame to waste all that Spider's Kiss antidote." She began.

Irma clutched at her throat, gagging in horror. "Oh my gosh! I think I'm gonna barf!" She gagged.

"Kidding, you guys. I'm kidding!" Hay Lin laughed.

Will poured Caleb some water, fully expecting him to be gagging and choaking with the rest of him. But he smiled as he cleaned his plate. "Very good. A bit lacking in the flavor area, but very good nonetheless." He said, imiating a food critic.

Hay Lin's jaw dropped. "You mean it?" She asked in surprise. "This is great! Dad said if I could one person to not throw up after eating this, he'd add it to the menu! I'll be right back." She gushed.

Caleb looked at Will and shrugged. "What?"

"You better not expect me to eat that on our date this weekend." She warned him.

Caleb laughed. "There goes my plan." He teased. The couple began to laugh, tickling each other and flirting.

Irma looked at Taranee. "Hey, Taranee?" She asked.

"Yeah?" Taranee asked as she helped herself to the egg rolls on the table.

"I think I know what Caleb saw in the Spider's Lair."

"I think I know too." Taranee grinned.

Cornelia ran in, carrying a bag. "Look! I just got the cutest dress and a matching pair of shoes!" She said. Her eyes fell on Will's still full plate. "I'm starved. Is anyone going to eat that?"

Irma casually picked up the half full water pitcher and headed towards the kitchen with it as Will shook her head.

"Nope, I'm full." Will replied.

Cornelia began to eat, but within a few minutes she was gagging and rasping.

Caleb eyed the plate as well. "Hey, Cornelia?" He called over her gagging. "Are you going to finish that?"

Irma returned with the water and looked at Will. "How can you stand him to eat that?" She demanded.

Will shrugged. "That's part of Caleb. I just have to except that. Besides, that's stuff's not so bad." She grinned.

Cornelia shot Will a dirty look as the other girls began giggling. "Liar."


	11. Chapter 11

_**Epiloge**_

_10 years later..._

Irma laughed as she hugged Will. "Congratulations!" She beamed. "I bet you never guessed, did you, that you and Caleb would marry each other one day!"

Will, wearing a beautiful long white gown, shook her head and smiled back. "I hoped, but...well, you know." She agreed.

Cornelia smiled. "I can't believe this! The wedding was so beautiful!" She commented.

Taranee nodded. "Are you 2 living here?" She asked.

Will nodded. "Yeah. Caleb said we're still visiting his father and the rest of his family, but...well, the way I see, we might have to raise the next generation of guardians!" She giggled happily. "Speaking of Caleb...where is he?" She added.

Hay Lin walked up pushing a large covered dish on a tray. "Oh, he asked me to fix a special dish for him." She smiled cheerfully. "He also said he wanted to make sure the cake was ready."

Will shook her head. "I just can't convince him to stay put! I'll be right back." She added as she rushed off.

Cornelia looked at Hay Lin. "What is he really doing?" She asked.

Hay Lin laughed. "He asked me to make a cake stuffed with Watercress Wonder. Then we just had to switch the cakes. He's in back, pouring hot mustard into the punch he and Will will drink." She giggled.

Taranee grinned as Will and Caleb reappeared and began to cut their cake. Within a second, Will was gagging on the floor.

Blunk walked up. "Portal opened nearby." He announced. "Looks like someone wants through the veil."

Will reached for the Heart, still coughing. "Guardians unite!" She managed.

Caleb stripped off his tux jacket and found his old one. "What's wrong, Will?" He asked as they hurried out the back door.

Will shrugged. "I guess I'm kind of sad that nothing changed." She said, but her sparkling eyes belied her.

Caleb grinned. "Liar."


End file.
